Good News Archive: July 1, 2018

Dental Volunteers for Israel provides free care toJerusalem’s at-risk youth; Modi’in Ilit Linked to Life volunteers take local sick and bereaved Israeli children on surprise trips; Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology operates subsidized science and technology summer camps across Jerusalem, and much more!

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Free dentures for needy elderly

For the last two years, Dental Volunteers for Israel (DVI) has been providing free dentures to needy elderly and Holocaust Survivors aged 70 and up (see video). Since 1980, DVI has provided free dental care to Jerusalem’s at-risk children and youth, regardless of race or religion.

Trauma support to Chicago

The city of Chicago has one of the worst crime rates in the USA. Faith leader Christopher Harris called in trauma experts from Israel’s NATAL to help relieve the deep emotional wounds to many thousands of Chicago’s victims and their families.

Stem cell treatment effective against radiation sickness

I reported previously (see here) on the stem cell treatment of Israel’s Pluristem for radiation sickness. Pluristem’s four-year studies show that its placenta-based PLX-R18 cells are effective as a treatment for radiation damage to the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow.

Making tumors glow to guide surgeons

Tel Aviv University researchers have developed smart nanoprobes that turn on a florescent light in presence of cancerous cells. They will help surgeons remove more cancer cells, with the least possible damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The probes identify enzymes common in tumors.

Award-winning cancer monitor

Newsletter subscriber Yehudit Abrams has founded startup MonitHer which is developing an innovative home-use handheld ultrasound system to check for breast cancer. MonitHer has just won the $360,000 Grand prize at the WeWork Creator awards in Jerusalem.

Increasing recovery rates for stroke victims

Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer has radically improved the treatment of stroke patients, just by persevering for longer. Whilst the text book states that the first 8 hours after a stroke is crucial, Sheba extends this to 24 hours. Even a 93-year-old recovered.

US approval for diabetes monitor

I reported previously (10th Mar) that Israel’s DreaMed received European approval for its Advisor Pro diabetes monitor. Now the US FDA has given its approval. Advisor Pro provides insulin delivery recommendations by analyzing information from diabetes pumps and glucose monitoring.

ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL

Giving back a lost childhood

On alternate Friday afternoons in the summer, the Modi’in Ilit Linked to Life Friday Afternoon Field Trip volunteers take local sick and bereaved Israeli children on surprise trips. This project of Israeli charity Ezer Mizion makes their day. It makes their week. And it makes their life.

106 participate in women-only hackathon

A team of five Orthodox students won a 44-hour, female-only hackathon held in Jerusalem. Their winning design, a voice-to-text bracelet relays information from first responders to hospitals in the event of a mass-casualty incident.

Building bridges between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs

Eyal Waldman (CEO of Israel’s Mellanox) met Bashar al-Masri, (founder of the new PA city of Rawabi), at a dinner in Washington and became good friends. Now Mellanox employs 100 Palestinian Arabs and at least 10 Israeli companies work in Rawabi.

How Israel treats Palestinian Arab children

Watch what really happens to unfortunate Palestinian Arab children in the hands of Israelis.

IDF sends aid to Syrians and rescues orphans

The Israel Defense Forces delivered 300 tents, medical equipment and 58 tons of food and clothing to Syrian refugees living in tent cities close to the border with Israel. They then brought six injured refugees to Israeli hospitals, including four recently orphaned children.

Israeli educational games in Arabic?

Israeli educational games startup TinyTap has just raised $5 million of funds to help it launch learning plans in Mandarin, Arabic, and Spanish. It will also be used for promoting the company’s partnership with Oxford University Press to start a learning plan for English language learners.

Guatemala renames streets to Israel’s capital

Cities throughout Guatemala are renaming streets and traffic circles “Jerusalem the Capital of Israel.” The first such renaming ceremony took place on the main street of the southern city of Guastatoya. Hundreds waved Israeli flags and stores along the road hung Israeli flags.

Israel and Indonesia agree on tourist visas

Israeli tourists can visit Indonesia (the largest Muslim country) and vice-versa. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson tweeted ““visa restrictions on Indonesian tourism to Israel were lifted, in parallel to lifting of restrictions by Indonesia on Israeli tourists. Good news.”

Heads of 10 US Universities visit Israel

The presidents of ten American universities and colleges are visiting Israel this week on a trip to promote bilateral academic ties. The 17-member delegation will meet the heads of Israeli universities to discuss joint research, commercialization and exchange opportunities.

Pushing back the desert in Angola

Israel’s Embassy in Angola’s capital, Luanda, led an initiative to bring 500 children to plant a green wall of 1,000 trees between the Namib Desert and the city of Tômbwa, which is threated by desertification. Israel’s renowned drip-irrigation system was deployed to nourish the saplings.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Technology summer camps

In sharp contrast to Hamas’ Gaza summer camps, Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology operates subsidized science and technology summer camps across Jerusalem. Each 5-day camp costs NIS 80 and the three age groups enjoy either Mathematics, Robotics or Creativity.

US-Israel Energy & Water Center

I reported previously (Oct 2016) of the US-Israeli plan to establish a joint energy research center. In March, the US Congress and Israeli Government each appropriated $4 million for the center. Now the two energy chiefs have signed a formal implementation agreement.

Electricity from bacteria

Researchers from Israel’s Technion have developed an energy-producing system from photosynthetic bacteria, also known as cyanobacteria. The bacteria use photosynthesis to generate energy from sunlight. This energy can be harvested as hydrogen and then used to generate electricity.

More protection for cars

Israel-based international automotive technology provider ERM Advanced Telematics has developed eCyber – a hardware-software product that protects vehicles against ransomware and other cyberattacks. It is unique in that it can be installed by authorized parties after the car has left the factory.

Clean the air, not replace it

Israeli startup enVerid eliminates a leading cause of energy waste in buildings by cleaning the inside air instead of continuously replacing it. EnVerid has just been selected as one of the 2018 Red Herring Top 100 North America Awards finalists.

1,000 times faster than flash

Israeli startup Weebit Nano has developed non-volatile computer memory that is a thousand times faster than flash memory (e.g. on a USB stick) and uses only one-thousandth as much power. The company plans to launch a commercial product in 2020. https://weebit-nano.com/

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israeli economy stable

Global economy isn’t. The latest Bank of Israel analysis of the domestic financial system shows that it remains stable. However, there is greater likelihood of an economic or geopolitical shock originating abroad. Looking long-term, the strength of most industries in the business sector has improved.

El Al to open Florida school for pilots

El Al is to train civilians to become commercial pilots in Florida, USA, commencing in December. The new course is for Israeli citizens, at least 21 years old with matriculation certificates and no previous flying experience. There is a growing shortage of pilots worldwide.

Daily flights to Delhi

The new 3-days-a-week Air India service from Tel Aviv to Delhi is so popular, that it is being increased to a daily service. The route began in March, making history when Saudi Arabia, for the first time, gave permission for an airline to fly direct to Israel over its territory, reducing the flight time by 2 hours.

Helping improve Mexican soccer teams

The Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF) and the Liga MX, the top tier of Mexican soccer, have agreed a deal with Israeli automated sports production company Pixellot. Pixellot’s coaching systems will be deployed at all 18 clubs in the Liga MX, as well as their respective youth academies.

US buys more Israeli tank defense systems

I reported previously (8th Oct) that the US Army had installed Israel’s Trophy Windbreaker active defense system on some of its Abrams tanks. Tests of the system were so successful that the US Army is now buying another $193 million worth of Windbreakers.

CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT

Israel’s best rooftop bars

The rooftop bars of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and beyond provide a luxurious way to cool off on summer evenings in Israel. These rooftop bars often are glamorously located in modern boutique hotels, some overlooking historical landmarks and others overlooking the lapping waves of the Mediterranean.

Brazil’s Gilberto Gil to perform in Israel

One of the biggest legends in Brazilian music, Gilberto Gil, is returning to Tel Aviv, Israel for a concert in Raanana on 4th July 2018. Gilberto Gil will bring his world tour “REFAVELA 40”, with other artists such as Mayra Andrade, Bem Gil, Chiara Civello, and Mestrinho.

Ringo Starr performs in Israel

Ex-Beatle drummer Sir Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band performed a juke-box of 70s and 80s hits during their first-ever Israeli concert. He had a “little help from his friends” including lead members of Santana, Men at Work, 10cc and Toto. “It ain’t easy” at 77, but he was still entertaining.

Helping sick children attend World Cup

Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich has donated a six-figure sum to the Israeli charity “Fulfilling Dreams,” which together with other donations, has allowed 30 seriously ill Israeli children, plus their carers, to attend the World Cup in Russia

Israel at the soccer World Cup

Israel’s soccer team didn’t get to Russia, but at least two Israeli tech teams did. Mtech’s fire and smoke detection systems are protecting the stadiums in Volgograd and Nizhny Novograd. Meanwhile, LiveU’s (see here) transmission technology is used by Fox, Sky, Reuters, AP and Telemundo.

World Cup soccer unites Jerusalemites

I reported previously (6th May) about the World Cup soccer event to be held in Jerusalem for Arab and Jewish kids. Here is the write-up of the 25th June event. It was organized by Kulna Jerusalem (“we are all Jerusalem”). Three more events take place on semi-finals and final match dates.

Streetball Jerusalem

From 31st July to 1st Aug Jerusalem hosts the largest street basketball event in Israel with more than 1,000 male and female players. Within the framework of the International Children’s Olympics, Safra Square converts into a huge basketball area, with 17 courts facilitating hundreds of games.

THE JEWISH STATE

Biblical evidence uncovered at Shiloh

The Bible records that after conquering the promised land, Joshua set up the Tabernacle at ancient Shiloh, where it remained for 369 years. Findings all around the site give clear indication of an ancient civilization, with remnants of sacrifices to reinforce the Biblical narrative.

Prince William visits Israel

Over 70 years after the end of the British mandate and the founding of the modern State of Israel, a member of the British monarchy made a historic first official visit. On 25th June, Prince William, grandson of the Queen of England, stepped off an RAF jet at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport.

6,000 celebrate 18 years of Birthright

The Taglit-Birthright Israel initiative celebrated its 18th anniversary with a festive gala in Jerusalem Wednesday.‎ Some 6,000 participants from around the world, were joined by 1,500 Israeli ‎soldiers at the Sultan’s Pool, Jerusalem, for the biggest celebration in the ‎organization’s history.‎